Several months have passed since I’ve posted a blog. I suppose I got distracted by the holidays – Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day and Easter. My gratitude to the Creator was overwhelming on Thanksgiving Day for the many blessings that were bestowed on me in 2015 – the health of my family and friends, a job I love and have loved for over a decade, the publication of my book, Mirror of the Soul, and, greatest of all, meeting my soul mate, the love of my life. The Christmas season is the season of miracles, and this late bloomer got her miracle in the new year with the proclamation of three simple words – I Love You! This wonderful man, who is my mirror on so many different levels, walked into my life just as Mirror of the Soul was going into production. Everything happens in divine right timing, and this relationship is everything I could have ever hoped for and more. I truly believe he was hand-picked for me by the angels themselves! My honey is an avid Cardinals baseball and football fan. His enthusiasm for his teams is contagious, and he has definitely won me over. I saw a posting on Facebook last week that said, “When cardinals appear, angels are near.” – further validation for me that the angelic realm has blessed our relationship! We share the same values, the same quirky sense-of-humor, a love of music and sports and an over-the-top love of pop culture. He truly appreciates me in all my geeky glory.

All geeks unite on Star Wars Day – May the fourth be with you! Part two of my book focuses on pop culture and how it reflects the highest ideals of the Creator. Chapter seven is entitled, The Rainbow Connection and the Force That Will Always Be With You. For decades, I have been a huge fan of both Jim Henson and George Lucas. The Muppets and Star Wars were the sources of hours of entertainment for my siblings and me. We watched the movies and collected the various memorabilia. When I began teaching pop-culture obsessed students twelve years ago, I tried to get into their heads so I could better communicate the value of classical music. Since I had several film students in my classes each quarter, it was easy enough to develop a John Williams lecture, with the Star Wars hexalogy being the primary focus of the class. Star Wars mirrored Wagner’s Ring of the Nibelung in several ways so I was able to create a compare/contrast lecture that filled our school’s four-hour time slot. This lecture is my favorite to deliver every quarter. Researching Star Wars was a labor of love, and after improving upon the material from quarter to quarter, I decided to include some of the information in chapter seven of my book.

George Lucas was interested in the US space program and “its exploration of the unknown.” He wished to communicate through his films that “technology cannot replace mankind, and the human element must ultimately prevail.” He intended to create a fairy tale, which “returned our rootless society to traditional values.” When Lucas was a young boy, he had a mystical experience in which he contemplated God and his place in the universe. The force in his films represented a “universal deity.” He believed this force dwelled inside all of us, much like the divine spark inside of us that can burn as bright as an eternal flame. The heroic characters in his films were inspired by Joseph Campbell’s book, The Hero with a Thousand Faces. My favorite character, Master Yoda, imparted Eastern wisdom because Lucas had an appreciation for Buddhism and Eastern philosophy.

My favorite movie scene of all time is the segment from The Empire Strikes Back where Yoda is training Luke in the swamp – “There is no try.” Yoda lectures Luke on the power of the force, calling it a “powerful ally.” He refers to us as “luminous beings” surrounded by the force. Luke attempts to lift his space ship out of the swamp using the power of the force but fails. Yoda then extends his arms in the direction of the ship, focuses his mind and is able to raise it up out of the water with the help of the force. Luke observes all this in disbelief and remarks, “I don’t believe it,” to which Yoda responds, “That is why you fail.” Skywalker gets a lesson in faith – the type of faith that moves mountains. Hebrews 11:1 tells us, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (KJV). Wayne Dyer has written an entire book on this subject entitled You’ll See It When You Believe It.

I am constantly reminded of the importance of not only thinking positively but of also having an inner knowing that my prayers are answered in divine right timing. I have seen evidence of answered prayer in my graduate school years, my performance opportunities, my employment history and, most recently, connecting with my soul mate. I have the patience of a saint, and while waiting for my desires to manifest, I observe little synchronicities that indicate to me that I am on the right path. Carl Jung’s synchronicity referred to meaningful coincidence. Squire Rushnell refers to these coincidences as “God winks.” These “God winks” validate for me the success of my manifestation and thus assure me that everything will work out for my best and highest good!

I have always been a happy-go-lucky person with a passion and zest for life. I am literally in love with life. My students have labeled me the “happiest teacher in the school.” I can honestly say that I did not truly know bliss until I met my mirror. For the first time in my life, I understand the type of joy that can be experienced by putting someone else first. His happiness is far more important to me than my own, and sharing my life is so much more fulfilling than being alone. We visited One World Observatory last month, and as we ascended to the 102nd floor, we were told we were atop the tallest building in the Western hemisphere. We were literally and figuratively on top of the world! I cling to that blissful feeling every day, and my entire being overflows with gratitude for it. It is what will create the next miracle in my life – a miracle of faith!

George Lucas created a billion dollar empire with his willingness to explore the unknown. Nearly forty years later, we are still enjoying his characters in movie theaters. I saw The Force Awakens twice on the big screen and purchased it on DVD last week. It was nice to see both old and new faces, and even better to hear John Williams’ score. On this Star Wars day, he is conducting a concert of his music with the Philadelphia Orchestra – a sold-out concert! The title of this new film, the seventh installment of the story, reminds me that anything is possible with the power of the force. Miracles happen when we have faith. May the fourth be with you!